Occultism
Can you believe this hogwash Lord Brindon has been spouting recently? I swear this madness wouldn't stand in Drenden twenty years ago. Seances? Protective talismans? Protection for what exactly? Evil spirits? Dreams? Mikkel swirled the ale in his mug, staring at the fluid slosh and foam against the sides of the cup. This wasn't the first time he'd heard this speech from Lord Callon. Are you listening to me Mikkel? I'm telling you, its not just embarrassing, its bad for business. Did you know I had to go down to Brindon's mansion at the new year and straighten that man out myself? He wanted to postpone the spring voyage because of what that queer-eyed Ruhxan told him. Didn't Brindon lose 2 ships on that voyage?' Mikkel's eyes flashed up from his cup, meeting Callon's. He smiled to lighten the air.'' '''Come on Callon, you're getting too worked up about this. Brindon's had a hard time of it recently. His daughter died of fever during the Silence, and he spent every morning for a year in the Temple praying, even after the Silence ended. He's always been a godly man, and a superstitious one. I'm well aware of Brindon's troubles Mikkel. I was at the Sienna's burial after all, unlike you. I was in New Vahna Callon! I-''' '''Forget it. My point is I'm not angry at Brindon for adopting all this superstitious nonsense, I'm worried for him. He sees that Ruhxan, Qa'Vaal, or whatever he calls himself, almost every week. That mystic has made more money from the noble families of ''Drenden ''in the last year than the tax collectors. And whats he selling them? Stuffed dolls and twisted branches? Colourful ribbons and scented candles? Its not right Mikkel. Its not the Drenden way. Things are changing Callon, the Drenden way is changing, whether you or I like it. The world is not the simple place it once was, but people still look for simple solutions, whether it be scented candles or morning chants. It brings peace to men like Brindon. Come on, lets get some fresh air. They rose together. Mikkel felt the protective charm press against his ribs as he put on his coat. Qa'Vaal had recommended that he stitch it into the lining of his clothes to ward off bad luck. He turned away from Callon, making sure his old friend didn't see it. No, times weren't simple anymore, and profits were just as scarce. Brindon wasn't the only man who lost ships in the spring voyage, and Mikkel had debts to pay. A little help would go a long way. Occult Magic - The Amalgam Occult magic stands not only apart from Divine, Arcane and Psionic power, but also between them. It is the least formalized practice of magic and mystic power on Tolas, having almost no institutions devoted to its study, and only scattered tomes and word of mouth to pass down its practices. As such, the Occult is not a defined entity, and many hedge witches and untrained sorcerer's could be called (or accused) of Occult practices. The Occult does have several hallmarks however, which separate or distinguish it from other Higher Arts; * The Power Between: Occult power draws on different aspects of Arcane, Divine and Psionic power, often simultaneously. As such it often displays similarities with these other practices, or represents a new, powerful fusion of them. * The Macabre: Whether indicative of the population they serve, or the practitioners themselves, Occult power is often used in relation to death. Whether to ward off death, bring it on another, or commune with those who have passed before, Occult power is often associated with the domain of death, leading those who advertise their expertise to be venerated, feared, or hunted in equal measure. * Dreams: Tapping into the Psionic and the Arcane, Occultists often deal with dreams, omens, nightmares and other aspects of the sleeping or unconscious mind. The Skein is a favourite realm of Occult inquiry, and many Occultists see its potential in ways Psionic or Arcane practitioners do not. * Imprinting: Occult practitioners often put great stress on the power of objects to absorb their surroundings and history, reflecting those who wield or use them, or exerting their own will on their possessors. As such, objects mundane and magical form a large part of Occult practice, and Occult practitioners can often be spotted by the veritable hoard of strange and seemingly useless objects they collect and study. * Ritual: Borrowing from the Divine and Arcane disciplines, Occult magic is often conducted through elaborate and lengthy ritual. Drawing together different strands of power, channeling through objects and focuses, and invoking otherworldly powers, Occult rituals such as the Seance are resonant in the minds of those who believe in their power, and those who fear or hate it. Source of Power All power has a source, and merely combining different strands of supernatural power does not separate them from their origin. While many Occultists believe they channel only small amounts of a source's power, such as a spirit, a deity, or an Outsider, even these small amounts can be enough to attract the attention of those forces. Likewise, the lack of formal training means that Occult practitioners are often at greater risk of manipulation, possession or falling under the sway of otherworldly entities. Some embrace their openness to the unknown, harboring spirits in their body, and giving the dead a mouth to speak from. Others delve too deeply into the source of their power, becoming shackled to demons, supplicants of forgotten gods, or lost within the Skein. Because Occultism is often practiced among the poor, the uneducated, and those beyond the reach of formal institutions or organised faiths, it is often the source of localized cultures and cults. Springing up around a particularly powerful practitioner, or the machinations of an unseen power, cults of Occult worshipers can take the form of anything from farmers giving tithes to a local rain-bringing mystic, to hidden societies seeking to undermine the mundane order of their region and install themselves or powers beyond in their place. Occult Societies While Occultism can be found throughout Tolas, especially among those who have no access to formal training, but rely on ad hoc ritual, supernatural tradition or are subject to sudden and unknown powers, some societies are permeated by Occult practices. The most notable of these is Ruhx, where great cults and societies spring up around Occult practices, while superstition and ritual play a large role in the lives of the numerous poor, and the wealthy few. Houses of the Occult Houses of the Occult are perhaps the most formalized institutions of their practice, and some are detailed below. * Blue Ring Society - A society of Occultists and Psionic practitioners in Casa, with branches in Schwarzmeer and Drenden, the Blue Ring Society dedicates itself to the study of the Skein. Not only interested in the act of dreaming itself, the Blue Rings believe they can divine the future from the Skein, and the most powerful and fanatical believers strive to leave their material forms behind, existing permanently within the Skein. * Hollow Invokers - A shunned group based in Hoffendale, particularly within the city of Hammhold. The Hollow Invokers specialize in calling spirits and practice voluntary possession. * Order of the Golden Script - The Order of the Golden Script, a disparate society of scholars that can be found anywhere from Novdahain to Okarthel believe in researching the fundamentals of Words of Power. Etching flowing scripts into their possessions (or themselves), the Order seeks to distill language, scripture and arcane utterances into a pure, unburdened and unbiased Eternal Script. As such, the Order recruits and gains knowledge from across Tolas, looking for similarities in rituals, scripture and culture as proof of a deeper, more fundamental language. * Candlesmokes - Deriving their name from the Lady of Candles, the Candlesmokes are a group that are known for their fascination with the dead and deceased. Seances, object reading and haunts all attract the attention of a Candlesmoke, who not only believe that the passing of the soul leaves a tangible trace, but that this trace can be summoned and used as an insight into the mysteries of the afterlife. Many believe Candlesmokes are nothing more than con-artists preying on the bereaved for quick coin, or necromancers posing as scholars to steal the dead from graves. * Hermetic Covenant - the Hermetic Covenant are one of the largest Houses of the Occult, although membership of this order is often kept secret, as are its exact activities. What is generally rumoured is that the Hermetic Covenant deals in almost all aspects of the Occult and Higher Arts, believing that the temples and scriptures of the Gods, and schools of Arcane study are designed to channel understanding into narrow corridors. Believing themselves to be crusaders for true cosmic enlightenment, the Hermetic Order has seen its numbers swell since the Silence of the Gods, as doubt-wracked worshipers turn on their older traditions and embrace the esoteric. * 'The Bloody Coven '- A faction of witches who devote themselves to the legacy of Bloody Cassandra. The coven are an influential group within Zafra and have permeated many of the most powerful political bodies in the country. The coven seeks to gain control of Zafra and believe themselves to be the rightful successors of Cassandra. The Bloody Coven are infamous for their affinity with curses and sinister rituals, including persistent rumours that they dabble in the black arts in hopes of reanimating their forebearer. Category:In-World Concepts Category:Magic